Medway Queen to return to the Medway shortly

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Paddlesteamer Medway Queen is now afloat at her Bristol shipyard following major repair and restoration work, and preparations are being made to return her to the River Medway – when this will be depends on the availability of the tug to be used and then the state of tides and the weather.

The tug Christine, operated by AJ & Pratt of Rainham has been contracted for the tow.

This is great news – it will be wonderful once again to have a paddlesteamer on the Medway following the lovely Kingswear Castle’s move to the Dart.

I’ve asked the Medway Queen folks to add me to their press list so that I will be able to let readers know when she makes her big trip.

The plan, according to the MQ website is that she will berth at Gillingham Pier and that there will be a celebration event with the visitor centre will be open – although visitors will not be able to board the Medway Queen at this stage.

An escort of suitable vessels would be very attractive to mark the arrival of the paddlesteamer, but boats are asked to make their own arrangements and to avoid impeding the smooth running of the towing operation.

The Medway Queen folks need funds to carry out the completion work at Gillingham – why not take a look at their website and see what you can do!

Read more about the Medway Queen on the National Historic Ships website.

The Kingswear Castle – the Medway’s fabulous paddlesteamer

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The Kingswear Castle getting up speed on the Medway

Lean-lined paddlesteamer Kingswear Castle gets up speed on the Medway. As usual, clicking on each image will bring you a much larger and more detailed photo

‘So where are the photos of the paddlesteamer?’ a few folks have been asking. They were always next on my agenda, and here they are. The coal-fired paddle steamer Kingswear Castle was built in 1924 by Philip & Son of Dartmouth and regularly carried passengers up and down the River Dart until the 1960s, apart from a a few years in WW2, when she was leased to American forces in the area.

Kingswear Castle looking forward Kingswear Castle looking aft Kingswear Castle engine room

Kingswear Castle looking forward, looking aft, and looking into the engine room

The Kingswear Castle's tea room is open The Kingswear Castle's bridge Kingswear Castle toilet bowl

The tea room is open; the bridge (rather splendidly, the captain uses a speaking tube to talk to his engineers); and the bowl of the Kingswear Castle’s outstanding washdown water closet, which is itself well worth a visit*

Maritime writer and historian David Williams‘ record or the history of the paddlesteamer around Britain over the past century mis available from Amazon: Paddlesteamers (Glory Days).

*This is British humour. If you’re not British, please forgive and forget any insult to your sensibilities.

The Medway by paddlesteamer

VIC 56 Medway

VIC 56, just outside Chatham Dockyard. Click on the images in this post (and most others!) for much larger photos

The weather forecast predicted strong winds and thunderstorms – so I decided against going sailing. But what to do instead? Julie and I decided to take a river trip down the Medway on the wonderful paddlesteamer Kingswear Castle, starting  from Rochester Pier, just by the city’s impressive Norman castle, and these are a selection of photos from the outing.

I hope you’re seated comfortable, for there are lots of shots here – and quite a few questions. If you know the answers, please fill me in using either the Comment button below, or by emailing me at gmatkin@gmail.com.

TID 164 steam tug Medway redundant lightships houseboats medway

TID 164, VIC 56, redundant lightships on the Medway

unusual schooner - who designed and built her? Pretty motorsailer Medway paddlesteamer

The river had a lot to show us that was intriguing, to say the least. What’s the story, we wondered, behind this neat little schooner? Or the pretty and comfortable-looking motorsailer?

Sweet cutter - is she a conversion? Pretty little clinker yacht outside Medway cruising club's premises Elegant wooden yacht, apparently on the brink of going somewhere

There was this beautiful old cutter – is she a conversion? And this pretty little clinker built pocket cruiser. And what about this elegant cruiser apparently on the brink of going somewhere?

Old fashioned yacht A smack moored opposite the dockyard

Two photos of the same old-fashioned yacht, and a smack yacht moored near Upnor Castle

Sinking building in the Chatham Dockyard grounds

This old fashioned chine-hulled dayboat, very like one I’ve seen many times moored at Queenborough – I wonder whether they were made by a local builder? I’m sure generations of visitors have been intrigued by this sinking building in the grounds of Chatham Dockyard

Smacks moored and ready for a race Harvest Queen looks like a converted wooden motor fishing vessel

Old smacks stand ready for a race; Harvest Queen looks like a converted wooden motor fishing vessel

Dutch tjalk Small Thames barge Whippet

There was this pocket cruiser – I haven’t figured out to which design she was built, but will be looking her up – and this smart Dutch tjalk, and the small Thames barge Whippet

Hope of Porthleven

Hope of Porthleven, and cormorants guarding their buoys

Paddle steamer tug Mystery yacht

Steam tug John H Amos – I gather there’s hope she will be restored; a mystery yacht I’d like to know more about; one of the forts known as Palmerston’s follies

A squib returns from racing Double ended motor fishing vessel Double-ended motor fishing vessel

A Squib returns from Sunday racing; a motor fishing vessel that looks a lot like Jay Cresswell’s model of a ring-netter

Another double-ended MFV Edith May is still looking very smart following her restoration at Lower Halstow

Another very well looked-after MFV conversion, Thames barge Edith May is also looking great following her restoration

Russian submarine in the Medway conning tower Russian submaring Black Widow on the Medway

The Medway’s Cold War-era Russian sub, however, is very down-at-heel

No vessel to anchor opposite Powder magazine

You can’t moor here; and here’s why

Bella something of Dover

Finally, what’s this craft? I’ve never heard of the Bella-something of Dover, and the Internet seems to be unaware of her also. What is her future to be, I wonder?


The Medway Pilots webpage has a useful history of the River Medway.